Weft-detectring mechanism for drop-box looms



I 1,633,632 June 2 1927' A. A. GORDON WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR DROP Box LOOMS Filed Jan. 26', 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1.633 632 Jun; 28, 1927. A. A. ORDON WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Filed Jan. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 irra'ezveys Patented June 28,

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.ALIBERT A. GORDON, O13 WORCESTER, 'TEASSACHTJSETTE. ASSIGNOR T0 CROMPTON' 6'6 KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF EVORCE$TEB, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

WEFT-DETECTING MECHANISM FOR LROE-BOX LOOMS;

Application filed January mechanism for use in connection with a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes in a drop box loom.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a separate detector for each shuttle box combined with a selective indicating device by which the particular detector is rendered operative which corresponds to the shuttle which is about to become active A further object of my invention is to provide improved mechanism by which an. indication of weft exhaustion. by any one of,-

the detectors will be transmitted to the weft replenishing mechanism.

My invention further relates to certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which I Fig. 1 is the front elevation of a portion of the drop box end of a loom embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is the plan of the partsshown in Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional plan view, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation, taken along the line 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional. elevation, taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation of certain parts, taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 1; c Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional plan view, taken along the line 99 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is'a perspective .view of one of the supports for the detectors; and V Fig. 11 is'a diagrammatic side elevation ofthe mechanism provided for selectively rendering the detectors operative. a

Referring to the drawings, 1 have shown portions of a loom frame 20., a breast beam 21 and a lay 22 having the usual drop box lay end 23. A series of drop boxes 24 are movable vertically in the lay end 23 and are positioned by a lifter rod 25, actuated by any suitable form of drop box mechanism,

1926. Serial no. 83,859.

not shown. The drop boxes 24 are provided with front box plates 26 and binders 27, both which a weft detector 29 may enter the shuttle and engage the weft carrier therein.

The weft detector 29 is shown as'being of the usual side-slip type and in itself forms no part of my present invention. Each detector 29 is slidably mounted upon a plate 30, secured to an arm 31 (Fig. 10) form'- ing apart of a detector stand 32. A spring 33 for each detector 29 forces the detector yieldingly inward to engage the weft carrier in the forwardly moving shuttle. When thus engaged by aweft carrier having a sufficient supply of weft thereon, the detector is moved directly forward without slipping sideways, but if engaged by a substantially exhausted weft carrier the detector slips to the right. as viewed in Fig. 2, and engages the upright portion of a transmitting member 35 (Fig. 6) pivoted at 37 and 38 to the upper and lower portions of the drop box frame 24. I

A'rod-or pluriger 40 (Figs. 7 and 8) is pivoted at 41 to the member 35 and the opposite end of the rod is normally positioned as indicated in 7. just clearing a depending projection 42 (Fig. 1) formed on the end of an arm" 43 pivoted at 44 (Fig. 2) op a bracket .45, mounted on the breast beam 2 The'right hand end 46 of the arm 43 ex tends under a blade or dagger 47 pivoted at 48 (Fig. 5) to-an arm 49 secured to a rod or. shaft 50. The shaft 50 (Fig. 2) is mounted in bearings'below the breast beam 21 and extends across the loom to the weft replenishingmechanism, with which it cooperates through certain connections which are of the usual type and form no part of my present invention. The end 46 (Fig. 5) of the arm 43 is norprovided with slots or openings 28 through mally seated ina recess 52 in the blade 47 usual cam follower or snake head 54 (Fig. I

shaft 50 and indicating a transfer to the magazine or weft replenishing mechanism.

A spring (Fig. 7) normally swings themember 35 against a fixed abutment 56 and thus holds the rod 40 yieldingly in withdrawn or inoperative position.

I will now describe the mechanism for selecting a given detector and for rendering the same operative. provide each detector stand 32 with a vertical extending plate 60 (Fig. 10) these plates being located at different distances from the axis of a fixed stud 61 4;), upon which the stands 32 are pivotally mounted. The plates 60 are thus supported in parallel relation and are conveniently positioned for selective engagement by an upright arm of a member 64: secured to a rod 65 (Fig. 3) which is slidable in bearings 66 in a bracket 67 secured to the lay end 23' and movable forwardly and rearward-1y therewith.

A rearwardly projecting portion 68 of the member 64 is connected to a cable, chain or other flexible element 69 which extends downward to a guide pulley 70 (Fig. 11') iositioned substantially at the axis of oscillation of the lay. The flexible element then extends upward and rearward to a point of copnection with a positioning lever 71 (Fig. 11

The lever 71 is mounted up n a fixed pivot 72 and the rear end of the lever 71 is pivotally connected at 73 to a short floating lever 74:. The lever 74' is connected by a link 75 to a dobby lever 76 mounted upon a fixed pivot 77 and connected in turn by a link 78 to a pattern lever 79. The opposite end of the floating lever 74 is similarly connected? by a link 80 to a second dobby lever 81 which is connected to a second pattern lever 79.

The pattern levers are controlled by blanks or risers on a pattern chain 82'a-nd' the dobby levers 76 and 81 are connected by links 83 to control the usual drop box actuating mechanism. By various combinations of blanks and risers acting through the pattern levers 7 9, the positioning lever 71 may be moved to different desired position, corresponding to the ensuing movements of the drop boxes. By its connection through the cord or chain 69, such movement of the lever 71 positions the arm 64 (Fig. 4) opposite the plate 60 corresponding to the detector for the shuttle about to be moved to active or running position by the drop box mechanism.

It will be noted that this selective movement is taken direct from the pattern chain and thus occurs substantially in advance of the movement of the drop boxes and in the.

early part of the forward movement ofthe lay. As the lay thereafter moves forward. a cam roll 85 (Fig. 3) on the end of the slid- For this purpose, I

ing rod 65 engages a fixed cam bar 86 mount ed on a bracket 87 (Fig. 2) formed on the loom side 20.

Such; an engagement of the roll 85 with the cam bar 86 slides the rod 65 to the left, as indicated in Figs. 2. and, 3, moving the selective arm 64 bodily to the left and swinging theparticular stand 32 engaged by said arm to the operative position indicated in Fig. 2. This swinging movement takes place about the axis of the stud 61 (Fig. at) which is fixed on plates 38 secured to the drop box frame 24 (Fig. 1).

Each stand 32 is provided with a seg mental slot- 90 (Figs. 9 and 10) in which is inserted a fixed stop pin 91. A coil spring 92 is fixed at one end in the stud 61 and the other endof the spring engages the corresponding stand 32 and acts to yielding-1y swing the stand to a forward or inoperative position.

A spring 93 (Fig. 3) is mounted upon the sliding rod 65 between one of the bearings 66 and the rearwardly extending arm 68 and acts to yieldingly raise said arm, putting tension on the flexibleconnection to thepo-- sit-ioning lever 71'. The spring 93 also moves the rod 65 yieldingly to the right.

Having thus described my invention, the method of operation thereof will be readily apparent. As the lay begins its forward movement, the selective arm 64 is moved by the pattern mechanism to a position facing a selected plate 60. As the lay continues its forward movement, the cam roll 85 is engaged by the cam bar 86 and the'arm 6i is thereby moved sideways, swinging the selected weft detector stand on the stud 61 and causing the corresponding detector 29 to engage the weft carrier in the shuttle about to become active.

If the weft carrier is substantially exhausted, the detector slips sideways, engaging the bar 35 and pushing the rod 40 into the path of the depending projection 12 on the arm 43. As the rod thereafter moves forward with the lay, the arm 413 is swung upon its pivot, raising the blade 17 into the path of the cam follower 54. which. thereupon rocksthe shaft 50 and causes weft replenishment.

I have thus provided simple and effective mechanism by which a weft detector corresponding to a shuttle about to become active may be placed in operative position and may thereafter effectively indicate weft exhaustion.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited tothe details herein described, but what I do claim is:

1. In a loom having a plurality of drop boxes at one end thereof, in combination, a plurality of weft detectors corresponding in number with said boxes and associated therewith, a single actuating means effective to render any one of said detectors operative, a pattern controlled selective connector, and means to give said connector a preliminary selective movement to interpose said con-- nector between said actuating means and a selected detector before the operating movement of said actuating means.

2. In a loom having a plurality of drop boxes at one end thereof, in combination, a plurality of weft detectors corresponding in number with said boxes and associated therewith, a single actuating means effective to render any one of said detectors operative, a selective device effective to form a connection between said actuating means and a selected detector, and means to move said device to form such connection in advance of the corresponding movement of said drop boxes.

3. In a loom having a plurality of drop boxes at one end thereof, in combination, a plurality of weft detectors corresponding in number with said boxes and associated therewith, actuating means eii'ective to render any one of said detectors operative, a selective device effective to form a connection between said actuating means and a selected detector, and pattern controlled means effective to position said selective device to cooperate with the detector corresponding to the shuttle about to be picked from said drop boxes.

4. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 3, in which said pattern controlled means is operatively positioned in advance of the operation of said actuating means.

5. The combination in a loom asset forth in claim 3, in which said detectors are separately movable to and from operative positions, and in which each detector has a contact plate associated therewith, and in which said selective device has a portion adapted to engage a selected contact plate and to form an operative connection between said actuatmg means and said plate for moving said detector to operative position.

6. In a loom, a lay having a plurality of drop boxes at one end thereof, a plurality of weft detectors mounted on said boxes and corresponding in number to the number of said boxes, each detector being pivotally movable about an axis on said drop boxes to and from operative position, an actuating rod formoving said detectors, a fixed cam bar to slide said rod longitudinally of the lay, and a member mounted on said rod and selectively engaging said pivotally mounted detectors.

7 In a'loom, a lay having a plurality of drop boxes at one end thereof, a plurality of weft detectors mounted on said boxes and corresponding in number to the number of said boxes, each detector being movable to and from operative position relative to its drop box, and being movable vertically therewith, as the boxes are shifted, actuating means for said detectors and pattern controlled means effective to establish an operative connection between said actuating means and a selected detector prior to the movement of the selected shuttle to moving position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

ALBERT A. GORDON. 

